U.S. Army helicopter pilot Tyler Merritt has heard many a 9-line request while on deployment to Southwest Asia.

A “9-line” is a distress call for a medical evacuation of a critically wounded soldier.

“A 9-line essentially shuts down an operation,” said Merritt, who serves in the 3rd Battalion 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield “The new mission is to recover that person.”

The 9-line that didn’t come over his radio is the one Merritt can’t forget. Last October in Afghanistan, Merritt’s former West Point classmate, Capt. Edward “Flip” Klein, was on foot patrol when he stepped on a mine. The roadside bomb claimed three of his limbs and several fingers on his fourth.

Merritt has teamed up with his wife and brother to create Nine Line Apparel, a line of custom-designed clothing, handbags and coffee mugs, through their Savannah-based promotional goods company, GI Custom.

Profits from the Nine Line sales go toward supporting Klein’s recovery and future quality of life as well as to the “9 Line Foundation,” which the Merritts have established to sponsor similarly wounded service members going forward.

“We didn’t realize how well it would be received,” Merritt said. “I don’t think we’ll ever run out of candidates.”

Shared kinship

Merritt and Klein didn’t bunk together at West Point or lean on each other during Beast, the U.S. Military Academy’s notorious cadet orientation session.

“We didn’t socialize on a regular basis, but there is that kinship and closeness you share with everyone in your class,” Merritt said.

They graduated together in 2006 and pledged to serve as their class motto “Never falter, never quit” commands. Klein rose to become a company commander as part of the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment stationed out of Washington state.

Klein had spent most of his latest deployment in headquarters working in a staff job. He’d been in the field only a short time when he met the I.E.D. A 9-line call likely saved his life, as the responding helicopter transported him to a military field hospital within 30 minutes of the explosion.

Once Klein’s condition stabilized he was flown home to Walter Reed Medical Center. He underwent more than 100 surgeries as doctors battled bacterial infections. He’s currently working to regain his strength and recover from a crushed pelvis that prevents him from putting weight on his legs.

Klein’s wife, Jessica, quit her job as a restaurant manager to support him through his rehabilitation.

The Nine Line Apparel funds will help the Kleins financially. While the Army will cover Klein’s medical expenses, the couple will need money later for expenses tied to his injuries. Klein’s military benefits won’t cover quality-of-life items, like a handicapped-accessible car or any specialty equipment he needs at home.

Other groups have also contributed. A gym frequented by Klein’s wife in Tacoma, Wash., Trident Athletics CrossFit, mounted a drive that raised almost $28,000.

Grand aspirations

The Merritts envision the Nine Line Foundation generating millions once its nonprofit status is approved.

Daniel, Tyler’s brother and an Army veteran, registered the 501(c)3 application with the state earlier this year. He has been in contact with U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, about supporting them on the federal side.

The foundation has scheduled two black-tie fundraiser events for later this year, including one in Houston sponsored by Tiffany & Co. The Merritts have been in contact with other large corporations about sponsorship, and the magazine National Review will soon start running free advertisements for the Nine Line Foundation.

And the Merritt’s company, GI Custom, is a good platform for Nine Line Apparel.

“It wasn’t easy, but we have all the pieces in place with the website and the product suppliers,” Daniel Merritt said. “We’re pretty excited about the potential for the future.”

The Merritts are ready to answer the next 9-line call in their own way.

Adam Van Brimmer’s column appears each Monday. He blogs several days a week at www.savannahnow.com and also is a social media regular @avanbrimmer on Twitter and Daddy Warbucks on Facebook.

ON THE WEB

Go to ninelineapparel.com or gicustom.com to learn more about or to purchase 9-line gear.